“Please, say something, Madam Livia,” Emeriel pleaded, her voice tinged with anxiety. The mere thought of becoming someone’s bondmate, especially the beast’s, sent shivers down her spine. The prospect was enough to induce a heart attack.
Finally, Madam Livia let out a sigh, leaning against the wall. “I believe you all may be jumping to conclusions here,” she spoke softly. “Perhaps the beast is simply fixated on your scent. It could be that you smell so good that it wanted more from where that scent came from.” But Emeriel could see that her eyes held concerns.
“You don’t truly believe that, do you?”
“I cannot say for certain, Emeriel,” Madam Livia replied, but seeing the panic in Emeriel’s widened eyes, she quickly added, “What I do know is that a feral beast does not differentiate between friend, foe, bondmate, or offspring. To them, everyone is either a threat, prey, or an enemy. A feral lacks the ability to recognize a Soulbond.” Her words provided some measure of relief.
“You were fortunate to be in heat during your first time. Otherwise, the beast would have caused significant harm when it entered you,” Madam Livia explained. “Heat sex is different from regular intercourse. With your syren gland and the changes it has brought to your body, your channel is now quite different from ours. It can stretch with enough elasticity to accommodate your Urekai male partner in any form, yet shrink back to its original size shortly afterward. Nature was thorough and remarkable in that way.”
A loud shout pierced the air.
“All hail His Majesty the Second! The second sovereign ruler of Urai and the sole leader of the northern wings. All hail Grand Lord Zaiper!”
Madam Livia’s eyes widened comically as she whispered sharply, “Bow your heads, both of you.” Immediately, her own head was almost touching the floor in a deep upper-body bow.
Without hesitation, Emeriel and Aekeira followed her lead, their bodies bending into a deep bow. Despite the discomfort it caused, Emeriel ignored the soreness in his muscles.
“Rise,” a deep voice commanded.
As Emeriel straightened up, he finally gazed upon the infamous Lord Zaiper. He… didn’t look like the monster they claimed he was. But then again, monsters rarely do. He appeared just as young and handsome as Lord Ottai and Lord Vladya, radiating masculinity and intimidation. Lord Zaiper casually stopped at the center of the chambers and crossed his arms, his scrutinizing gaze locking onto Emeriel and his sister.
“So, you two are the human slaves Vladya acquired?”
“Yes, Your Highness. My name is Aekeira, and this is my brother, Emeriel,” Aekeira responded meekly.
“Such beautiful creatures. Are all royals as lovely, or are you two the exceptions?” Lord Zaiper remarked, catching them off guard. They exchanged glances and swallowed tightly, remaining silent.
“I expect to hear words,” Lord Zaiper pressed, his eyes darkening as he focused on Aekeira.
“We do not know, Your Highness,” Emeriel quickly interjected, redirecting Lord Zaiper’s attention to himself.
“Interesting. Perhaps I should acquire all the human royals to judge their beauty for myself.” He tilted his head, seeming to genuinely consider the idea before refocusing his gaze on Emeriel. “You are the one the beast mounted last night.”
Emeriel noticed the barely concealed resentment with which Lord Zaiper spat out “the beast.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“How in Tartarus are you still alive?” Lord Zaiper furrowed his brows, sparing a glance at Aekeira. “You were mounted before him, how are both of you still alive?”
You would wish us to die, would you not?
“We do not know, my Lord,” Emeriel said.
An uncomfortable silence, filled with tension, ensued.
Then, Lord Zaiper locked eyes with Emeriel. “Undress.”
AEKEIRA
Aekeira’s heart skipped several beats, and panic flashed in Emeriel’s eyes as they met his. Emeriel adjusted himself on the bed, fingers trembling as he reached for the hem of his tunic.
“Not you.” Lord Zaiper’s gaze shifted from Emeriel to rest upon Aekeira. “You. Rise and undress for me.”
Relief rushed through Aekeira. Thank the gods, it was not Em. She rose and began to undress, her movements tense. Completely naked before Lord Zaiper, he closed the distance between them, his eyes scrutinizing her body intently.
His gaze lingered on her plump breasts, then lowered to her flat belly before settling on her most intimate area. “Mmh. Beautiful,” Lord Zaiper remarked. His hand moved to her womanhood, palming her.
Aekeira whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut, but remained still as Lord Zaiper explored her body. His eyes held a daring challenge, silently warning her against any wrong reactions.
Emeriel’s fist was clenched. Do not react, Em. Reacting would only get you in trouble.
“Such a pretty pussy,” Lord Zaiper commented, one hand encircling Aekeira’s narrow waist while the other slipped between her legs, forcing them apart. Without finesse, he inserted two fingers inside her. Aekeira cried out, her eyes watering.
“Tight. Too tight,” he murmured approvingly, his head tilting to the side. “Your body recovered quickly after taking our beast form. Impressive.” He continued thrusting his fingers in and out, exploring and probing. “Hades, your channel is too narrow. You are going to feel so good on my dick. We will have so much fun.”
Aekeira felt sharp, acute pain gnawing at her. Tears flowed freely, and her knees trembled with the effort to remain upright. Lord Zaiper had penetrated her dry, now thrusting his thick fingers relentlessly.
“All hail His Majesty the Third! The third sovereign ruler of Urai. Sole leader of the western wings. All hail Grand Lord Vladya!”
The door swung open, and Grand Lord Vladya entered with his characteristic lethal grace.
“Your presence is requested. We must gather at the Court of Duty to address the council,” Lord Vladya announced, his gaze fixed on Lord Zaiper.
Lord Zaiper withdrew his fingers, and like a male who had all the time in the world, brought them to his nose and inhaled deeply. “An earthly scent.” A low growl emanated from his throat, his eyes shutting momentarily as he savored the scent, before licking his fingers clean. “Truly exquisite.”
Only then did he step away from Aekeira, his attention shifting to Lord Vladya standing behind him. “I did not want to be interrupted. Damn it, I had plans for tonight,” he grumbled, his eyes suggestive as they landed on Aekeira.
“This would not have happened if you had not foolishly decided to spread fear among our people,” Lord Vladya growled.
Lord Zaiper’s eyes blazed with fury. “Foolishly? Are you calling me foolish!?”
“You heard me right, Grand Lord Zaiper. Or does your stupidity impair your hearing?”
Lord Zaiper stepped closer, his face now inches from Vladya’s. “You dare insult me? In the presence of these peasants?”
But Lord Vladya simply turned toward the door. “Do not keep the council waiting, Grand Lord Zaiper. If you aspire to be the grand king, at least show respect for the voice of the people. Do not just pretend. And ensure you are punctual for council meetings.”
At the mention of “grand king,” Lord Zaiper’s anger dissipated, replaced by a gleam in his eyes. “I do not pretend,” he said indignantly, but Lord Vladya had already departed.
Lord Zaiper glared at the three witnesses in the bedchamber, who kept their heads low, carefully avoiding his gaze. Addressing Aekeira, he said, “We will continue this later.”
Then he looked at Emeriel. “You are quite a pretty boy. Make sure you heal well.”
With his robe swirling, Lord Zaiper spun around and left the room.
EMERIEL
By the end of the week, Emeriel’s condition had significantly improved. For some reason, an order had been issued granting him a temporary release from his duties while he healed.
This meant no work, no responsibilities, so Amie diligently brought him books to keep himself busy between his meals.
When Emeriel inquired about the unexpected change, Madam Livia remained tight-lipped. “Do you not appreciate it? Would you prefer to work while you heal?”
Naturally, Emeriel was grateful for the reprieve and expressed his thanks to the elderly woman, but she waved it off dismissively. The reason behind Madam Livia’s continuous assistance remained a mystery to him, but Emeriel saw no reason to question her kindness.
Unfortunately, Emeriel did not get to see Aekeira as frequently as he would have liked. She had been assigned to the well area for the week, tirelessly drawing water and filling countless basins and gallons throughout the fortress.
The silver lining was that the large wells were located far from the northern wings. There was little chance Aekeira would cross paths with Grand Lord Zaiper. After the awful experience, Emeriel would be glad if his sister never encountered him again. Ever.
Aekeira had informed him of Lord Vladya’s summons. Emeriel had journeyed to Blackwood, only to discover that Grand Lord Vladya was away on a trip. Since then, there had been no sign or word from the Lord.
However, that was the least of his worries. The beast never left his mind. Something within him had changed that night. He was not in heat, nor had he experienced it again, but an unfamiliar craving awoke within him.
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